John the Dragatis

John the Dragatis, called Arnaout-⁠John, was a soldier of Albanian descent, born a Muslim and baptized a Christian, who died a martyr at Heraklion in Crete on 5 May 1845 after three days of torments. He is honoured as a new martyr and is commemorated on 19 May. He has no known canonization.

The Turks call Albanians Arnauts, hence his nickname. He had received Baptism and the name John, and had found a home in the village of Agios Ioannis in Phaistos, Crete, where he lived piously and honestly as a dragatis, a rural constable, to earn his living.

Some rebels killed two Turkish gypsies. The Ottomans, who hated John because he had renounced their faith, saw a chance for revenge. They told the authorities that he was the killer and that, having changed his religion, he wanted to exterminate the Muslims. He was arrested and sent to trial at Heraklion, where he proved his innocence. But the judge Rechit-⁠Effendi asked him to change his religion again, to show that he had not killed out of religious rivalry, or else be condemned to death. John boldly confessed Christ. For three days he was cruelly tortured; among other things a burning iron pot was placed on his head.

After he gave his soul to God, the pasha ordered his body given to the Christians. They took it and buried it at Spitalia, in the area around the old health service in Heraklion. His death caused grief and anger among the Christians of the region, so much that to calm the people the president of the court, Rechit-⁠Effendi, was exiled and replaced. After some time his relics were moved and found to be sanctified. The Russian consul took them and sent them to Kiev with other relics, where they are kept to this day.

The saint was brought to light by the research of the chancellor of the Metropolis of Gortyna, Fr Chrysostomos Papadakis, who wrote a book about his life and about the village of Agios Ioannis. The service of praise to him was composed by the great hymnographer of the Church of Alexandria, Haralambos Bousias.